mao
02-07-2007, 12:07 PM
Hi, have just registered and posting for the 1st time... basically, have an A3 1999 model which I bought 2ndhand in 2003 and knowing nothing about cars, always serviced at Audi main dealerships to make sure I was getting it right (haha, i realise now). Anyway, couple of services back, I asked when my cam belt was due to be changed and was told I had a timing chain, which apparently didn't need to be changed.
At my last interim service in Nov 06, mileage was 85000+ so was thinking I would spend less money in future services by going to an independent Audi specialist (who used to work for years at main dealer). Took it to him last Monday for annual/full service and apart from changing the fuel filter (which he said looked "disgusting" like it hadn't been changed for years & should have been picked up by some Audi service in the past), he said I had a cam belt after all & for my engine model should be changed by 110,000 miles. I said I'd do that, or sell the car before then.
Driving the car home, approx. 10 miles later, loss of power- cam belt had broken!! Towed back to same garage, he said just bad luck it had happened just after service & now would cost loads to repair or less if he can have a spare engine. I called Audi main dealer I'd usually gone to the past 2 years to ask them
a)why they told me I didn't have a cambelt
b) if they deny telling me this, why they'd never advised changing it ?at 60-80000 miles (which I gather is the usual recommended change interval, not 110,000?). I'm certain I'd never been advised changing it as up till last week, I'd always done whatever service/repairs at main dealer & none of their advisory notices mention cam belt needing to be replaced.
Will I have a case to pester them into fixing my car for free/compensation? Plus might be other things like fuel filter which they should have done over the past 2 years....
Thanks for any replies
At my last interim service in Nov 06, mileage was 85000+ so was thinking I would spend less money in future services by going to an independent Audi specialist (who used to work for years at main dealer). Took it to him last Monday for annual/full service and apart from changing the fuel filter (which he said looked "disgusting" like it hadn't been changed for years & should have been picked up by some Audi service in the past), he said I had a cam belt after all & for my engine model should be changed by 110,000 miles. I said I'd do that, or sell the car before then.
Driving the car home, approx. 10 miles later, loss of power- cam belt had broken!! Towed back to same garage, he said just bad luck it had happened just after service & now would cost loads to repair or less if he can have a spare engine. I called Audi main dealer I'd usually gone to the past 2 years to ask them
a)why they told me I didn't have a cambelt
b) if they deny telling me this, why they'd never advised changing it ?at 60-80000 miles (which I gather is the usual recommended change interval, not 110,000?). I'm certain I'd never been advised changing it as up till last week, I'd always done whatever service/repairs at main dealer & none of their advisory notices mention cam belt needing to be replaced.
Will I have a case to pester them into fixing my car for free/compensation? Plus might be other things like fuel filter which they should have done over the past 2 years....
Thanks for any replies